The phylogenetic position of taxaceae based on 18S rRNA sequences

The evolutionary position of the yew family, Taxaceae, has been very controversial. Some plant taxonomists strongly advocate excluding Taxaceae from the conifer order and raising its taxonomic status to a new order or even class because of its absence of seed cones, contrary to the case in the majority of conifers. However, other authors believe that the Taxaceae are not fundamentally different from the rest of the conifers except in that they possess the most reduced solitary-ovule cones. To resolve the controversy, we have sequenced the 18S rRNA genes from representative gymnosperms: Taxus mairei (Taxaceae), Podocarpus nakaii (Podocarpaceae), Pinus luchuensis (Pinaceae), and Ginkgo biloba (Ginkgoales). Our phylogenetic analysis of the new sequence data with the published 18S rRNA sequence of Zamia pumila (a cycad) as an outgroup strongly indicates that Taxus, Pinus, and Podocarpus form a monophyletic group with the exclusion of Ginkgo and that Taxus is more closely related to Pinus than to Podocarpus. Therefore, Taxaceae should be classified as a family of Coniferales. Our finding that Taxaceae, Pinaceae, and Podocarpaceae form a clade contradicts both the view that the uniovulate seed of Taxaceae is a primitive character and the view that the Taxaceae are descendants of the Podocarpaceae. Rather, the uniovulate seed of Taxaceae and that of some species of Podocarpus appear to have different origins, probably all reduced from multiovulate cones. Correspondence to: W.-H. Li     

Directional mutation pressure,mutator mutations,and dynamics of molecular evolution

Using a general form of the directional mutation theory, this paper analyzes the effect of mutations in mutator genes on the G + C content of DNA, the frequency of substitution mutations, and evolutionary changes (cumulative mutations) under various degrees of selective constraints. Directional mutation theory predicts that when the mutational bias between A/T and G/C nucleotide pairs is equilibrated with the base composition of a neutral set of DNA nucleotides, the mutation frequency per gene will be much lower than the frequency immediately after the mutator mutation takes place. This prediction explains the wide variation of the DNA G + C content among unicellular organisms and possibly also the wide intragenomic heterogeneity of third codon positions for the genes of multicellular eukaryotes. The present analyses lead to several predictions that are not consistent with a number of the frequently held assumptions in the field of molecular evolution, including belief in a constant rate of evolution, symmetric branching of phylogenetic trees, the generality of higher mutation frequency for neutral sets of nucleotides, the notion that mutator mutations are generally deleterious because of their high mutation rates, and teleological explanations of DNA base composition. Presented at the NATO Advanced Research Workshop onGenome Organization and Evolution, Spetsai, Greece, 16–22 September 1992     

Differential molecular responses to abscisic acid and osmotic stress in viviparous maize embryos

Substantial quantities of mRNA encoding the abundant Em polypeptide accumulate, in planta, in developing embryos of maize (Zea mays L.). By contrast, accumulation of Em mRNA is only barely detectable in embryos with the vp-5/vp-5 genotype [an abscisic acid (ABA)-deficient viviparous phenotype]. Em mRNA is not detectable within viviparous embryos of the vp-1/vp-1 genotype that are non-responsive to ABA. Culture of immature wild-type and vp-5/vp-5 embryos in the presence of exogenous ABA or of an osmotically active agent prevents precocious germination and results in expression of the Em genes. When vp-1/vp-1 embryos are cultured under similar conditions, only the application of osmotic stress prevents precocious germination. However, Em mRNA does not accumulate either in ABA-treated or stressed, arrested embryos, indicating a requirement for ABA perception through a VP-1-mediated mechanism for Em gene expression. Nevertheless, vp-1/vp-1 embryos do show both ABA and stress responses at the molecular level. Treatment with ABA causes the accumulation of mRNA encoding a polypeptide of approx. 30 kDa, whilst osmotic stress induces the accumulation both of a 30-kDa polypeptide and a set of approx. 20-kDa polypeptides. This indicates the existence of discrete, parallel ABA and stress response pathways in developing maize embryos.Abbreviations ABA abscisic acid - cDNA copy-DNA - DAP days after pollination - kDa kilodaltons - MS Murashige and Skoog medium - LEA late embryogenesis abundant - NEpHGE non-equilibrium pH gradient gel electrophoresis - SDS-PAGE sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis     

Does Gγ/Aγ ratio and Hb F level influence the severity of sickle cell anaemia

Sickle cell anaemia (SCA) exhibits significant variations in clinical presentation in different populations for which several genetic factors including SCA-associated -and -thalassaemias, G-6-PD deficiency and elevated Hb F level have been implicated as possible ameliorating factors. Saudi Arabia is unique in that mild and severe forms of the disease occur at a high frequency. We investigated the G/A ratio and Hb F level and correlated these values with the severity of SCA. The results showed that Hb F level varies significantly in both groups of patients with no evident correlation with the mild clinical manifestations. However, G/A ratio correlated significantly with the disease severity where a high ratio was observed in patients with the mild and a low ratio in patients with the severe disease. The results are evaluated and discussed in the light of correlation studies and regression analysis.     

枯草芽孢杆菌聚谷氨酸合成途径相关基因功能研究

聚谷氨酸(polyglutamic acid, PGA)作为一种天然多功能的聚合物,近年来成为研究的热点。由于很难通过化学方法合成,微生物发酵是目前生产聚谷氨酸的有效途径。【目的】从基因水平探究枯草芽孢杆菌聚谷氨酸合成途径中degS、degQ、degU、swrA、rocA、putM基因的功能,通过分子改造实现对代谢途径的调控。【方法】以枯草芽孢杆菌为出发菌株,通过对代谢途径中相关基因进行敲除或过表达,分别构建degS、degQ和degU基因缺失的重组菌,swrA、rocA和putM基因过表达的重组菌,借助菌株胞外聚谷氨酸积累的变化分析影响途径的关键节点。【结果】在摇瓶发酵条件下,重组菌Bacillus subtilis 168-swrA、Bacillus subtilis 168-rocA、Bacillus subtilis 168-putM的胞外聚谷氨酸含量分别是原始菌株的1.28倍、1.47倍和1.37倍。重组菌Bacillus subtilis 168-ΔdegS、Bacillus subtilis 168-ΔdegQ、Bacillus subtilis 168-ΔdegU的胞外...